DSVC National Student Show & Conference 2026 (NSSC)
The National Student Show & Conference (NSSC) is a national juried competition recognizing outstanding student work in design, advertising, illustration, photography, interactive, motion, and portfolio development. Organized by the Dallas Society of Visual Communications Foundation, the show celebrates excellence across multiple creative disciplines.
https://nationalstudentshow.com/
Rules & Categories
- Entries are judged professionally; there is no limit on how many pieces you may enter. A single work may be entered in multiple categories if applicable. National Student Show & Conference+1
- Categories include:
- General Design: Logos, Wearables, Stationery Package, Posters, Environmental, Typeface & Hand-Lettering, Infographics, Branding Campaign, Special Event Materials, Menus. National Student Show & Conference
- Advertising: Print, Art Direction, Copywriting, Audio, Video, Out-of-Home, Interactive, Experiential, Direct, Integrated Campaign, Public Service (PSA). National Student Show & Conference
- Interactive Design: Website Design, Website Integration or Feature, Mobile App Design. National Student Show & Conference
- Motion Design: Animated Short, Animated Short Series, Short Film, Motion Graphics, Motion Graphics Series. National Student Show & Conference
- Illustration: Illustration, Illustration Series, plus the Bart Forbes Memorial Illustration Scholarship. National Student Show & Conference
- Photography: Photography, Photography Series. National Student Show & Conference
- Portfolio: Senior Portfolio, Dick Sloan Scholarship for Best Junior Portfolio, Best Sophomore Portfolio. National Student Show & Conference
- Publication: Book Covers, Magazine & Periodical Covers, Editorial Spread/Feature Design, Zines, Annual Reports/Brochures/Catalogs. National Student Show & Conference
- Retail: Packaging, Retail Design, Point of Purchase. National Student Show & Conference
- Judging remarks: For example, in a past year every entry had to be submitted digitally by 11:59 pm CST on the deadline and physical entries weren’t accepted. National Student Show & Conference+1
- Ensure work is presented without student/school names embedded in title/description to avoid bias.
Scholarship & Prizes
The DSVC Foundation awards more than $20,000 annually to support emerging designers. Major recognitions include:
- Bart Forbes Memorial Illustration Scholarship
- Dick Sloan Junior Portfolio Scholarship
- DSVC Foundation Excellence Awards
- The competition awards over $20,000 in scholarships and cash prizes. National Student Show & Conference+2National Student Show & Conference+2
- There are special named scholarships (for instance: Bart Forbes Memorial Illustration Scholarship, Dick Sloan Scholarships). National Student Show & Conference+1
- The foundation supporting the competition aims to assist high school seniors and undergraduate students who want to pursue a visual arts career. National Student Show & Conference+1
Submission Deadlines (2025–2026)
- Early Bird Opens: November 10, 2025
- Cyber Sale: November 27 – December 1, 2025
- Early Bird Ends: January 12, 2026
- Regular Deadline: February 14, 2026
From the “Submit your work” page:
- Cyber Sale Entries: Nov 27 > Dec 1 2025 National Student Show & Conference+1
- Early Bird Entries open: Nov 10 2025 (and run through Jan 12 2026 for early-bird pricing) National Student Show & Conference+1
- Regular Show Entry Deadline: February 14 2026
Important Notes for Entries
- All entries are submitted digitally; no physical entries are required.
- A project may be submitted to multiple categories if applicable.
- Do not include your name or school in the uploaded work to ensure unbiased judging.
- For complete details, visit nationalstudentshow.com.